Difference between revisions 113123853 and 113123854 on dewiki

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{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Siege of Ladysmith
|partof=[[Second Boer War]]
|image=[[Image:Ladysmith Town Hall 1900 - Project Gutenberg eText 15972.png|300px]]
|caption=The town hall at Ladysmith, showing shell damage to the tower.
|date=2 November 1899 - 28 February 1900
|place=[[Ladysmith, South Africa|Ladysmith]], [[Colony of Natal|Natal]], [[South Africa]]
(contracted; show full)

==The storming attempt==
The Boers around Ladysmith were also growing weak from lack of forage. With little action, many fighters took unauthorised leave or brought their families into the siege encampments. Eventually,
 with the Tugela in flood, preventing Buller from giving any support,<ref>{{cite book|authors=Symons, Julian|title=Buller's Campaign|publisher=The Cresset Press|location=London|date=1963|page=191|chapter=10 - Spion Kop}}</ref> some younger leaders persuaded Joubert to order a storming attempt on the night of 5 January 1900, before another relief attempt could be made.

The British line south of Ladysmith ran along a ridge known as the Platrand. The occupying British troops had named its features Wagon Point, Wagon Ridge and Caesar's Camp (after features near [[Aldershot]], well known to much of the British army). Under Ian Hamilton, they had constructed a line of forts, sangars and entrenchments on the reverse slope of the Platrand, of which the Boers were unaware.

In the early hours of 6 January, Boer storming parties under General C.J. de Villiers began climbing Wagon Ridge and Caesar's Camp. They were spotted and engaged by British working parties who were emplacing some guns. The Boers captured the edge of both features, but could not advance further. British counter-attacks also failed.

At noon, de Villiers made another attack on Wagon Point. Some exhausted defenders panicked and fled, but Hamilton led reserves to the spot and recaptured some empty gun pits. Late in the afternoon, a terrific rainstorm broke, and the Boers withdrew under cover of it.  

The British suffered 175 killed and 249 wounded. 52 dead Boers were left in the British positions, but their total casualties were not recorded.

==The later siege and relief==
{{main|Relief of Ladysmith}}
[[Image:The Relief of Ladysmith by John Henry Frederick Bacon.jpg|thumb|The Relief of Ladysmith. Painting by [[John Henry Frederick Bacon]] (1868-1914)]]
(contracted; show full)[[Category:Histories of cities in South Africa]]


[[es:Sitio de Ladysmith]]
[[fr:Siège de Ladysmith]]
[[it:Assedio di Ladysmith]]
[[no:Beleiringen av Ladysmith]]
[[pl:Oblężenie Ladysmith]]